Car.



G. WOLF.

` GAR. APPLIOATION FILED 00T.1, 1910.

Patented July 18,1911.

/fvrfA/rogr ay 7 prf l I UNITED STATES CLARENCE WOLF, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE IVoLr, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cars, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing` had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification.

he object of my invention is to so construct a street railway car thatthe seat arrangement may be altered to adapt the car to diiferentconditions of service.

In ordinary street cars, two arrangements of seats are in vogue, one inwhich two extended seats are arranged longitudinally along oppositesides of the car, and one in which two rows of transversely extendingseats, arranged along opposite sides of the car, are separated by acentral aisle. The latter arrangement is preferred by many riders, butit does not lend itself readily to the type of car known as the paywithin, in which car the conductor is stationed at a point within thecar located along the longitudinal center line thereof, and therefore,in such position as to block the entrance to a narrow aisle. Further,the car in which the seat arrangement is transverse createsuncomfortable crowding during the early morning and late afternoon hoursespecially in the larger' cities, when the rush of travel is so greatthat, even with the maximum equipment in service, seats cannot beprovided for more than a certain proportion of riders. In a car havingseats constructed and arranged according to my invention. means areprovided whereby a longitudinal arrangement of seats may be convertedinto a prevailing transverse arrangement, while at the same time noobstruction to the admission of passengers will be afforded bystat-ioning the conductor at either end of the car.

The invention consists, in part, of the general scheme of arrangementwhereby a portion of the seats are fixed and a portion convertible, andin part of the specific means whereby the seats are renderedconvertible.

In the drawingszFigure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a car embodyingmy invention. Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the seats on one side ofthe car, the convertible seats being shown in both positions.

A is the car body, and b, b, the car plat- Specfication of LettersPatent.

Application filed Getober 1, 1910.

Patented July 18, 1911.

Serial No. 584,793.

forms. At each end.of the car is provided a tixed longitudinallyextending seat c of a length approximately equal to the space measuredlengthwise, occupied by two transverse seats. The seats c are onopposite sides of the ear respectively. Pivoted on vertical axes are anumber of convertible seats d. The convertible seats are arranged oneach side of the car, between the fixed end seat and the opposite end ofthe car. Each convertible seat' is of a length substantiallycorresponding to the length of an ordinary transverselyarrangedseat-that is, of a length sufficient to comfortably accommodate twoadult persons. l The axis of the seat is midway between its front andrear edges, and near the .end of the seat adjoining the side of the carwhen the seat is in its transversely-extending position. In the drawingsthe seat is shown as pivoted in a fixed standard f, the lat-ter beingcut away, near its lower end, around its periphery to receive a ring l0,from which extends upward. in an inclined direction, a bracket orstanchion 71, secured to the bottom of the seat near its outer or freeend.

One longitudinal edge (say the rear edge) of each pivoted seat d isstraight from end to end. The end edges of each seat (Z extend from therear edge at right angles thereto for about half the width of the seat.Thence each end edge is curved toward the front longitudinal edge on anarc concentric with the pivot of the seat. The pivot of the seat isequi-distant from the longitudinal edges and one of the end edges, sothat, dependent upon to which of its positions a seat d is swung, eitherthe front longitudinal edge or the last named end edge will abut againstthe side wall of the car-bodv. Thefront longitudinal edge of the seat isstraight except where it is curved to meet and-merge with the curvededge of the pivoted end of the seat.

Each seat CZ (namely, that movable seat on each side of the car that islocated at one extreme end of the car opposite the tixed seat on theother side of the car) is constructed like the'seats (l. except that theedge of the pivoted end of the seat is curved, on an arc concentric withthe pivot of the seat, toward both longitudinal edges of the car,whereby the pivoted end is of semi-circular convex form as shown.'

The length of each seat eZ is such that i when the sea-ts d are swunginto their longitudinal positionr` they7 Will torni, in connection Withthe fixed seats o. two long' seats extending troni end to end ot the caron opposite sides thereot.

It will he observed that when the seats (Z are in their longitudinalpositions. they Cannot he swung;` into their transverse positions`except hy tirst swinningout the seatatone end niarhed d and then,-a\\'in; 'ing` out the other seats successively in regular order. fon-Yersely, when the seats f/ are in their transverse Vpositions theyvcannot he swungy into position to torni a continuous lengthwiseextendingseat except hy snf'inn'inif in the seats in the h'rferse order in whichthey are capahle oit' swinging out.

The hacks of the seats inay of course he arranged to swing troni oneedge to the other ot the seats in the usual wayr` and what l haveheretofore called the front edge ot a seat will then heeoine the rearedge and Vice tersa. it Will theretore be understood that the ternisfront edge and rear edge are used tor convenience of description and notas indicative oi xed conditions.

lt will he understood that by making' only a part ot' the sez ts conve'tihle and by inaintaining two iixed longitudinally extending seats atopposite ends and on opposite sides ot the ear, a conductor inay bestationed at either end ot the car Without blocking' ingress ot' thepassengers, as there is an'ijple rooin in itront ot either liXed endseat tor passengers to pass troni the plattorin to the interior ot thecar.

Haring' nonv tnlly described niy invention, What lt elaini and desire toprotectI hy lietters Patent is:

l. ln a car7 in coinhination7 a series ot seats arranged on each side ofthe car and pivoted on .fixed vertical axes located adjacent to theoutsic e ot' the ear, said seats eaeh lfeing; et a length substantiallyless than halt the Width ot the car and substantially equal to thedistance between eorrespoiiding;l loiinitudinal edges oi adjacentseatsWhen the saine are swung into transverse positions, all ot the seats otIa series heinev adapted to swing' in the saine directions 'tronilongitudinal positions to transverse positions and rice Versa, and twotiXed seats, each ot suhstanially greater length than any ot the pivotedseats7 extendingY longitudinally and located at opposite ends andattainopposite sides ot the ear and adapted, when the pivoted seats areswung' into their longitudinal positions, to forni with thein two seatsextending` continuously on opposite sides ot the oar troni one endthereof to the other.

2. in a ear7 in combination, a seriesl ot seats arranged on each side otthe car, each seat being piyoted on a iixed `Vertical axis near the endedge thereof adjoiningr the outside ot the ear, one ot' the longitudinaledges ot eaeh seat being substantially straight troni end to end Whilethe end edges extend troni said longitudinal edge for about halt thewidth ot' the seat and thence are curved toward the oppositelongitudinal edge on arcs concentric With the pivot of the seat.

in testimony ot which` invention, I have hereunto set my hand, atPhiladelphia, on this 29th day ot September, i910.

I CLARECE VOLF. iilitnesses F. A. BAnNE'r'i, E. H. ROBINSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, l). C.

